Irish retail sales fall 2.2% y/y in December on lower car sales

DUBLIN, Jan 28 (Reuters) - Irish retail sales fell 2.2%
year-on-year in December due to lower car sales, Central
Statistics Office data showed on Friday.

When volatile car sales were excluded, sales volumes were
0.3% higher than December 2020, when the economy was open for
most of the month. A curfew was placed on the hospitality
sector for part of December 2021.

Car and electrical goods sales fell by 18% and 8.5%
respectively while bar takings were 36.6% higher.

Separate credit and debit card usage compiled by the central
bank showed on Friday that spending this month to Jan. 23 rose
26% year-on-year. All COVID-19 restrictions were unexpectedly
lifted early last Saturday.
(Reporting by Padraic Halpin; editing by John Stonestreet)